In order to protect buildings against conducted noise and against vibration caused by rail vehicles, it is known to support the rails elastically, for example by means of elastic interlayers arrayed under the lower flanges of the rails. However, these elastic interlayers cause no damping or only insignificant damping of sound.
A significantly better effect is attained with rails laid upon solid ground by means of an elastic support which is arrayed between the rails and the solid ground, and in which the rails or the ties carrying the rails bear against a frame connected to the solid ground via obliquely positioned elastic interlayers. (DE-OS 28 28 713)
In the case of rails laid on ballast, a reduction of the conducted noise and vibration acting upon a nearby located building can be effected by an elastic mat located beneath the ballast (DE-PS 31 21 946; DE-OS 34 25 647).